FBI veteran to lead agency

headquarters to the field, consists of the finest group of men and women that I have worked with in my more than 40 years in law enforcement,” Kerlikowske wrote in a memo to staff.

Morgan is no stranger to the Border Patrol. In 2014, the FBI loaned him to Customs and Border Protection to serve as acting assistant commissioner for internal affairs. He oversaw an extensive review of complaints of excessive use of force and employee misconduct.

The National Border Patrol Council, which represents 18,000 agents, said it was disappointed the commissioner passed over several highly qualified internal candidates, ending what it called a 92-year tradition of choosing a leader from within that dates back to the agency’s creation.

“The Border Patrol has a unique mission that is reflected in its culture and we realize it will be difficult for an outsider to quickly gain the trust and respect of his subordinates,” the union said. “We hope that Chief Morgan will quickly overcome this hurdle.”

Chris Rickerd, policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union Washington legislative office, said Morgan “acted with independence and integrity” during his 2014 stint at Customs and Border Protection, and that promise to serve the agency well in his new role. The ACLU has strongly criticized the agency in recent years over use-of-force practices.

His challenge as chief will be to “foster trust in border communities still suffering painful memories of an era when Border Patrol imposed no accountability for numerous abuses,” Rickerd said.

Morgan is currently an assistant FBI chief who leads the training division. He joined the FBI as an agent in Los Angeles in 1996 and has held various positions, including head of its El Paso, Texas, office.